The annual Diocese of Venice English-Speaking Catholic Charismatic Renewal Conference brought together about 200 from across the region to be renewed in the Holy Spirit Feb. 7-8, 2025, at St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Port Charlotte.
The theme of the Conference was “Spirit Called,” with the quote “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the Children of God,” Romans 8:14, serving as the inspiration for the participants as they were enlightened by teaching, worship, music and fellowship.
The featured speaker at the Conference was Most Rev. Peter L. Smith, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon, who in 2024 was appointed as the ecclesiastical assistant of CHARIS, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal International Service. CHARIS is intended to share with all in the Church the baptism in the Holy Spirit, while promoting Christian unity and engaging in service to the poor.
Bishop Smith first spoke about the parable of the sowing of the seeds where Jesus uses the example of throwing the seeds on fertile ground, as well as on rocks and in the weeds where it has almost no chance of growing. While this was seen by the Jewish farmers of the day as an insane waste of precious seeds, Jesus used this story to explain the extravagant love God has for each of us.
“The sower is the Father, sowing the word of Christ into our lives,” Bishop Smith said. “And God sows that with incredible extravagance. God will sow that seed upon us all, even those who have hard parts, where there is almost no chance of that seed sprouting. He will do that in extravagance at the possibility, just the possibility, of one of those seeds taking root. That is God’s love for you and for me.”
Bishop Smith concluded by reflecting upon the Gospel reading about the Road to Emaus, where Christ accompanies two of the disciples, who don’t recognize that He is the Resurrected Lord, as they walk along the road as a great example of how the Lord accompanies us.
“The Lord walks with us through our lives,” Bishop Smith concluded. “He engages us; brings us His truth; takes our eyes off ourselves; focuses our eyes on Him. He does what He can to get our hearts burning again with hope. In response, we must act, like the disciples, and go back and rejoin the community of faith.”
Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated a Mass for the Conference on Feb. 8, with Bishop Smith concelebrating and serving as the homilist. Bishop Dewane greeted the visiting Bishop and encouraged the Charismatic Renewal members to gain as much as they could from the Conference as they grow closer to the Lord in their lives.
There were several talks and break-out sessions. Father Ananda Anki Reddy, Spiritual Advisor to the Diocesan English Catholic Charismatic Renewal and Parochial Vicar at St. Andrew Parish, and Father Daniel Scanlan, Parochial Vicar of St. Thomas More Parish in Sarasota, both offered presentations.
“We were so blessed to have the Holy Spirit with us today,” one participant from Cape Coral said. “Having Bishop Smith here elevated the grace we all received.”
The English Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the Diocese of Venice includes prayer groups at 15 different Parishes. Most prayer groups gather weekly for praise and worship. For more information about the Diocesan English Catholic Charismatic Renewal, or to find a prayer group near you, please visit https://www.charisms.org.
